Hockey Audio/ Game Blog: Michigan 3, Notre Dame 2, FINAL

Louie Caporusso scored with 20.3 seconds left in regulation to give the University of Michigan hockey team a lead in a game it trailed by two goals just six minutes in.

Caporusso's fifth goal of the season set off a wide celebration on the bench that repeated itself after the clock ran out on a 3-2 Michigan win. Another amazing win for the Wolverines in a season that's been full of them so far.
Here's the postgame audio:

Coach Red Berenson

Senior forward Kevin Porter and freshman forward Louie Caporusso

Al Randall's call of the game-winning goal (courtesy of the Michigan Sports Network

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In third period action:

It's developed into the game many expected between No. 1 Michigan and No. 8 Notre Dame. How (or if?) they'll break this tie could be decided in the first few minutes of the period. The first two periods had early goals.

The largest crowd (6,984) at Yost Ice Arena since 2002 has already enjoyed the first 40 minutes tonight.

At 2:19, a checking from behind call to Chris Summers gives the Fighting Irish a five-minute power play. Summers is done for the night with a game misconduct.

Notre Dame, which has had horrible success on its power play in recent games, had good pressure early during the major, but then the Wolverines started to get it out of the zone easily.

A shorthanded rush by Chad Kolarik nearly resulted in a goal, but the Irish took a penalty trying to keep the puck out of the net and negating the final 48 seconds of the major.

Good action continues at each end. Whatever it is, a lot of pucks are being misplayed coming out of each zone, creating some good chances for both teams.

Another power play coming up for Notre Dame. Aaron Palushaj called for charging the goalie after he's hooked going in on a rush with 6:51 left.

Another penalty killed, and Porter and Kolarik each nearly score on the next rush up the ice.

On Caporusso's game winner, he won a faceoff in the Notre Dame end with about 30 seconds left. The puck moved around, with each team missing on chances to do something with it.

Finally, the puck came to Travis Turnbull to the left of the net. He sent a backhanded pass between his legs into the slot to Brandon Naurato, who tipped it over to Caporusso near the right goalpost.

Caporusso tapped it past goalie Jordan Pearce for his third game-winning goal of the season.

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In second period action:

It's a rare 4-on-3 power-play for the Wolverines as the second period begins. In one minute, 19 seconds, the matching penalties to Brandon Naurato and Teddy Ruth will expire, and the Wolverines will have 11 more seconds of time after that.

It's a key opportunity for Michigan to get back into the game already down two goals and getting outplayed on its own sheet of ice.

And the Wolverines score just like that. Kevin Porter rips a one-time slapshot 21 seconds in, assists from Chad Langlais and Aaron Palushaj.

Notre Dame now struggling to get out of its zone as the Wolverines continue to apply pressure.

The teams trade unsuccessful power-play opportunties later in the period. Shots are even at 13.

With 7:55 left in the period, Notre Dame goalie Jordan Pearce experiences what happened to Billy Sauer on the first goal of the game.

Matt Rust stepped over the blue line and blasted a shot that a Notre Dame defenseman got a piece of, handcuffing Pearce and allowing the Wolverines to tie the game. It's the 8th goal of the season for Rust, lone assist to Palushaj.

Sauer coming up with some great saves as the Irish start to play more offensively now that their lead is gone.

We're underway at Yost Ice Arena for the first game in a home-and-Palace series between Michigan and Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish moved their home game this weekend to the Palace of Auburn Hills. That game will start Saturday at 7 p.m.

Tonight in Ann Arbor, Michigan is wearing its yellow jerseys. The crowd has been filing in for the last half hour and getting their thundersticks inflated and ready to go. It's a packed building with much of the standing room only space being used.

A lot of pressure by the Fighting Irish early. They are rewarded when Kevin Deeth's shot changed direction off Michigan defenseman Mark Mitera's stick and goes in at the 3:33 mark.

At 5:53 Justin White gets free going in and scores another for the Fighting Irish. Michigan getting outshot 5-1.

Louie Caporusso has had the best two scoring chances for the Wolverines so far: a centering pass in front from Ben Winnett that he couldn't convert and a rebound chance that goalie Jordan Pearce gloved.

White nearly had his second of the period, ringing one off the crossbar.

Faceoffs have been a disaster so far for the Wolverines, who have lost 8 of 12 draws.

Notre Dame outshooting Michigan 10-5 with under four minutes left in the period.

The Wolverines get their first power play with 2:45 left, as the crowd tries to get back into it.

A period of turnovers, poor passing and little offensive cohension comes to an end for the Wolverines. It may be too big a hole for them climb out of against a very good defensive team like Notre Dame.

Michigan will have 1:30 of power play time left when the second period begins.

Notre Dame is struggling in recent games offensively. Three goals by Michigan should be enough to win this game, though the Wolverines will be without one of their key offensive players.

Freshman forward Max Pacioretty practiced Wednesday and Thursday, but he evidently is not healthy enough to play in tonight's game against Notre Dame.

He injured his shoulder in last Friday's home game against Western Michigan. As he was last Saturday at Western Michigan, junior Tim Miller has taken Pacioretty's spot on the top line.

That's a blow to the Wolverines as they try to break a three-game losing streak against Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish haven't beaten Michigan four in a row since 1978.

For years Michigan-Notre Dame wasn't a competitive game. In the 2004-05 season, the Wolverines won six games against the Irish, including two in a playoff series.

Things began to change for Notre Dame during that offseason when it hired legendary coach Jeff Jackson. Last year, Jackson's second in South Bend, the Irish won the Central Collegiate Hockey Association for the first time. They lost four league games all season.

This year, Notre Dame has found itself trailing Michigan and Miami (Ohio), who are both having outstanding seasons. The Irish split with Miami back in November, and this weekend is their only crack at Michigan.

A bad weekend by Notre Dame, and its repeat CCHA title hopes will be done. A bad weekend by the Wolverines could position Miami to begin running away with the title.